Saturday, March 26, 2011

NIH's State of the Knowledge conference on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, April 7-8

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also referred to as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is a poorly-defined, debilitating disease that affects roughly 17 million people worldwide (1 to 4 million in the United States) and it is diagnosed 2 to 4 times more often in women. Research on ME/CFS has been hampered by the lack of a universally accepted case definition, etiological agent, diagnostic criteria, or treatment.

The workshop will bring together subject matter experts who will discuss multiple aspects of ME/CFS, including epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment. The workshop panelists will identify gaps in knowledge and opportunities for advancing biomedical research.

Investigators interested in pursuing research on ME/CFS are particularly encouraged to attend. This workshop is open to the public and will be webcast.

Sponsored byThe Office of Research on Women's Health,National Institutes of Health (NIH)In collaboration withThe Trans-NIH ME/CFS Research Working GroupIf you have any questions, call (703) 925-9455 ext. 0 or e-mail icg@infinityconferences.com

"Plenty of people are still dying of diseases which other people do not believe." (Dr. M.N.C. Dukes).CBT and GET for ME: "There is no nonsense so gross that society will not, at some time, make a doctrine of it and defend it with every weapon of communal stupidity."

Robertson Davies

THE NICEGUIDELINES BLOG VERSUS THE NICEGUIDELINES

These are NOT the NICEGuidelines. This is "The NICEGUIDELINES BLOG." What are the differences:

The NICE Guidelines are biased publications based on the GOBSART (Good Old Boys Sitting Around a Table) approach.

This Blog however is not only evidence based but also uses critical reading to judge papers and articles. I also use common sense and listen to others. And finally I read both psychiatric and medical evidence and opinions from around the world to come to a conclusion.

I’m not sponsored by anybody or paid by whatever company as seems to be the norm with many psycho people who publish the same article almost on a weekly base.

So if you value an opinion, formed as a result of participating in many ME activities, for example being bed bound for years, you have come to the right BLOG. All these activities have allowed me to form an opinion as a Doctor and as a Patient. And that is important as the voice of the latter is discarded by many including NICE.

If you don’t read this blog, you will miss out on “accredited” medical education. If you do read it, you may actually become a doctor who doesn’t stop thinking or forgets to ask critical questions. Many good things, including satisfied patients are at your command.

So, if you arrived here for the straightforward GOBSART approach, I will disappoint you. If you are interested in forming your own opinion about ME, and other interesting things, read on!

About Dr. Speedy.

I am a Family Physician or GP as it is called in Australia or the UK. I am also an ME patient unfortunately. Bedbound that is. So at the moment I’m in private practice so to speak. I’ve got only one patient, ME, or is it me?

I graduated as a doctor a long time ago, and I am the founder and editor of The NICEGUIDELINES BLOG, an internet based ME BLOG that is devoted to critical reading and cheering you or ME up.

I have the following conflict of interest: I would like to get better and see that the wasting of public money on CBT (talk therapy for a neurological disease, really helpful) and other silly therapies for ME stops, and will be used in better ways.

My goal has always been to help, and if possible, cure patients. With this disease you will soon find out that many psychiatrists and psychologists are only in it to make money and get their name in the spotlight. And what happens to and with the patients is irrelevant.

I stand to benefit both mentally, physically and also financially if this silliness would stop, and I would get my health back, and I can go back to work and have a normal life again. Please evaluate my postings with this in mind! And remember, there are also (lots of) psychiatrists and psychologists who haven’t switched their brain off.